Customer Development Manager

Colgate Palmolive; Shah Alam; On-site; MYR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Colgate-Palmolive is seeking a results-driven professional to manage Key Accounts and distributor relationships across Malaysia. You will forecast service provider needs, guide Distributor Sales Representatives, and deliver data-driven insights to drive incremental growth while coordinating with merchandising and logistics teams.

You will lead cross-functional collaboration to ensure on-time deliveries, reduce stockouts, and maintain optimal inventory levels in provider warehouses.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in business.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in Key Account management, distributor management, etc.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Strong communication skills.
• Computer literate.

Responsibilities

• Forecast service provider needs and prioritise deliveries to ensure timely service.
• Influence Distributor Sales Representatives to achieve sales out through preplanning.
• Provide service providers with objective analyses to develop growth strategies.
• Maintain visibility of New Product Development (NPD) with indirect customers for faster market adoption.
• Collaborate with service providers to recruit/train DSRs for effective execution.
• Conduct regular business reviews on sales activity, new products, customer service, receivables and claims.
• Coordinate with merchandising service provider to align on plans, activations and planograms.
• Ensure inventory optimization and FIFO practices in service provider warehouses.
• Drive improvements in case fill rate, reduce obsolescence and enhance shelf presence.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Computer literacy

Education

Bachelor's degree in business

Job description

No Relocation Assistance Offered

Job Number #171887 - Selangor, Selangor, Malaysia

Who We Are

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries specialising in Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, Skin Care, and Pet Nutrition. Our products are trusted in more households than any other brand in the world, making us a household name!

Join Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for people, their pets, and our planet. Guided by our core values—Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous—we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals. Together, let's build a brighter, healthier future for all.

Core responsibilities:

• Work with Vendor Management Inventory (VMI)/ (sell in to distributor) to forecast service provider's needs, follow up on orders to ensure timely and complete deliveries and prioritize service provider's requirements when product is unavailable
• Influence and guide Distributor Sales Representatives' (DSR) to achieve sales out through effective preplanning
• Provide service provider with an objective and trustworthy analysis of their business to develop collaborative strategies that drive incremental growth opportunities
• Lists New Product Development (NPD) in Indirect Customers to ensure speed to market of New Innovations
• Proactively understand the service provider's needs and develop business solutions to meet Colgate and the service provider's requirements
• Conduct regular business reviews and follow-up on sales activity, new products, customer service, receivables and claims
• Collaborate with service provider in recruiting and retaining DSRs including coaching and training new and old DSRs to be effective and efficient
• Provide effective coverage and visit assigned customers with required frequency to build rapport and perform customer business reviews to enhance future activities
• Ensure DSRs secure additional second site displays to reduce overall customer inventory and reduce slow and obsolete SKUs
• Lead all aspects of storage and condition of POPs in service provider's warehouse and ensure sufficient POP call quantity for each month
• Collaborate with respective Merchandising Service Provider counterpart to ensure complete, effective and efficient monthly activation and merchandising according to planograms and merchandising guidelines
• Provide inputs on merchandisers' itinerary to include new stores and improve overall efficiency of external merchandisers
• Collaborate cross functionally with Customer Service & Logistics to reduce the service provider's warehouse inventory days
• Eliminate possibility of out of stock situation and build an optimal inventory level in service provider's warehouse
• Implement and/or maintain First In First Out (FIFO) Practice and reduce Slow and Obsolete SKU from the service provider's warehouse
• Work with Customer Service & Logistics to increase case fill rate during deliveries, reduce pallet withholding and drive Good Warehouse Practices in the service provider's premises
• Strategically deploy customer investment funds to increase sales volume, distribution and market share
• Work with Customer Financial Services to establish cost to serve and analyze service provider's return on investment regularly

Leadership/supervision:

• Lead a team of Merchandisers

Day-to-Day Responsibilities:

• Morning meetings to track and provide guidance to DSRs
• Field visitations to coach and train respective DSRs
• Check on daily sales to ensure forecast met
• Meet with key customers to ensure continuity of service and business
• Meet with service provider to address issues and resolutions
• Collaborate with DSRs each month to achieve thorough effective customer calls
• Enforce DSRs compliance of Must Sell SKUs in accordance with RE Handbook
• Ensure full compliance from DSR on monthly activities, detailing & road shows to be implemented flawlessly
• Provide DSRs with POP and ensure efficient utilization to improve brand visibilitySecure and improve home shelf through customer and DSR collaboration

Requirements:

• Bachelors' degree, preferably in business
• Minimum 3 years of experience in Key Account management, distributor management, etc.
• Strong analytical skills
• Strong communication skills
• Computer literate

Our Commitment to Inclusion:

Our journey begins with our people—developing strong talent with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to best serve our consumers around the world and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. We are dedicated to ensuring that each individual can be their authentic self, is treated with respect, and is empowered by leadership to contribute meaningfully to our business.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please complete this request form should you require accommodation.